18 Unique Things To Do In Hilo Hawaii In 2024
Wondering what unique things there are to do around Hilo Hawaii? You’ve come to the right article.
Hilo is a charming small town located around a 2 hour drive from Kona.
When I stayed in Hilo on my last trip to the Big Island, I was amazed with its natural beauty. If you’re a fan of rainforests, waterfalls, and sea turtles, there’s no doubt in my mind you’ll love Hilo.
I’ve put together a list of 18 unique things to do around Hilo to help you plan a memorable trip.
From snorkeling with sea turtles to chocolate farm tours, there’s something on this list for everyone!
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Things To Do In Hilo Hawaii
1. Visit Rainbow Falls
Just outside of Hilo, Rainbow Falls is one of the most scenic and accessible waterfalls on the Big Island.
This is a stunning 80 foot waterfall that forms a rainbow right underneath the falls.
The main viewpoint of the waterfall is just a short walk from the parking lot.
This is a great place to snap photos, and you can continue walking past the falls to see huge ancient banyan trees.
For the best chance of seeing the rainbow, you’ll want to visit early in the morning (around 10am-12pm) on a sunny day.
2-198 Rainbow Dr, Hilo, HI 96720. Open daily 8am-5pm. No entrance fee.
2. Swim At A Beach Park
Hilo has many amazing beach parks with tide pools and sea turtles.
If you want to go snorkeling in Hilo, Carlsmith Beach Park is the place to go.
This is a beautiful lagoon in a rocky bay with sea turtles, tide pools, and crystal clear waters. It’s just a few miles east of downtown and there are restrooms on site.
Another great family-friendly beach park in Hilo is Onekahakaha beach park. It has a large sheltered tide pool for swimming, and there are restrooms, showers, and covered picnic areas on site.
The last beach park worth visiting if you want to spot sea turtles is Richardson Ocean Park.
It’s the closest black sand beach to Hilo, and it’s perfect for swimming and snorkeling. The park has clean restrooms, showers, picnic areas, and on-duty lifeguards.
If you’re visiting a beach park, just remember to bring water shoes so you can explore the rocky shoreline.
3. Shop For Local Goods At Hilo’s Farmers Market
The Hilo Farmers Market is a lively market open everyday from 7am–3pm. There’s a variety of vendors selling fresh local produce, souvenirs, and food.
From strawberry papayas to mangosteen, this is the place to go if you want to try out tropical fruit in Hawaii.
Corner of Kamehameha Avenue and, Mamo St, Hilo, HI 96720. Open daily 7am-3pm.
4. Visit The Hawai‘i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden
Just north of Hilo, the Hawai‘i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden is a beautiful 40 acre botanical garden in the rainforest.
There’s restrooms at the entrance, and well-paved hiking trails surrounded by over 83,000 tropical plants.
You’ll get to enjoy scenic views of waterfalls, streams, and the rugged coastline as you stroll the gardens.
27-717 Mamalahoa Hwy, Papaikou, HI 96781. Open daily 9am–5pm. Entrance costs $30 for adults, $22 for children (6-12), free for children under 6.
5. Stroll around Liliuokalani Gardens
Tucked along Hilo bay, the Liliuokalani Gardens is a serene park with fish ponds, gardens, and a teahouse.
Designed after the Japanese gardens, this park has stone bridges, sculptures, and gazebos throughout the park.
Whether you want to have a peaceful picnic or enjoy ocean views, you won’t want to miss visiting this place. It’s free to visit, and there are restrooms on site.
189 Lihiwai St #151, Hilo, HI 96720. Open daily 5:45am-7:30pm. Free parking, no entrance fees.
6. Hike To Akaka Falls
Besides rainbow falls, Akaka Falls is another beautiful waterfall to visit in Hilo. This is a spectacular 422 feet tall waterfall that’s surrounded by lush greenery.
You can reach the main viewpoint by a short 0.4 mile uphill hike. With lush rainforests full of bamboo and banyan trees, the hike up to the falls is incredibly scenic.
The only downside is that you have to pay for an entrance fee ($5/pp) and parking ($10/hr) to visit the falls.
Hawaii 96728. Open 8:30am–5pm. Entrance fee is $5 per person, and parking is $10/hr. Hawaiian residents & children under 3 can enter for free.
7. Relax On Coconut Island
Not far from the Liliʻuokalani Park and Garden, Coconut Island or “Mokuola” is a serene little island tucked along Hilo bay.
You can walk over a small bridge to reach the island, and it has restrooms, picnic areas, and small sandy beaches. This is a great place to relax and enjoy sunset views.
Plus, you’ll have a great view of the Mauna Kea summit from the shore.
77 Keliipio Pl, Hilo HI 96720.
8. View The Sunset From The Mauna Kea Summit
The Mauna Kea Summit is the highest point in Hawaii, and the second highest point on Earth! It’s located 43 miles, or around an hour drive from Hilo.
There’s a visitor center at 9,000 feet in elevation with restrooms, and a gift shop.
You can drive to the Visitor Information Station (9,000 feet in elevation), but you will need a 4×4 vehicle to reach the top of the summit.
From the visitor center, you can walk across the street to walk the “sunset hill trail” to view the sunset over the clouds!
It’s an easy 15 minute hike up a rocky hill, but you’ll want to wear warm clothes due too the elevation.
If you want to reach all the way to the top of the summit, you can go on a van tour from Hilo.
On a tour, you’ll get to learn the history, view stars through a telescope, and snap high–quality photos to keep for memories.
Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station: Mauna Kea Access Rd, Hilo, HI. Open daily 9am–9pm.
9. Visit The Panaewa Rainforest Zoo
Nestled in Hilo’s tropical rainforest, the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo is a beautiful zoo that’s completely free to visit.
It’s home to white tigers, parrots, monkeys, reptiles, and many cute, well-taken care of animals.
With gorgeous grounds surrounded by tropical plants, it feels like you’re walking through a botanical garden.
They also have a great gift shop where you can shop for souvenirs or leave a donation to support the zoo.
800 Stainback Hwy, Hilo, HI 96720. Open 10am–4pm daily. No entrance fee.
10. Tour Lavaloha’s Chocolate Farm
Lavaloha Chocolate Farm is a large cacao farm that offers tree-to-chocolate tours, just 10 minutes from downtown Hilo.
On a tour, you’ll get to learn the full process of chocolate making, and end the tour by tasting different chocolate varieties.
From sampling raw cacao fruit to seeing how cacao beans are fermented, this is a great educational tour to go on.
1820 Amauulu Rd, Hilo, HI. Open daily 9am-5pm, closed Sundays.
11. Enjoy Fresh Mochi From Two Ladies Kitchen
Just down the street from the farmer’s market, Two Ladies Kitchen is a mochi shop that serves amazing mochi made from scratch.
If you’ve never tried mochi, it’s a Japanese dessert made from pounding sticky rice into a stretchy paste. The paste is often filled with red bean paste, fresh fruit, or ice cream to make a soft and chewy dessert.
Two Ladies Kitchen serves everything from fresh strawberry to brownie filled mochi, so it’s a must visit for anyone with a sweet tooth. Keep in mind that they only accept cash payments, so make sure to bring cash.
274 Kilauea Ave, Hilo, HI 96720. Open Tues-Sat: 10am-4pm, closed Sunday-Monday.
12. Go On A Helicopter Tour Of The Volcanoes National Park
If you’re up for an adventure, you can go on a helicopter tour of the Volcanoes National Park from the Hilo airport.
You’ll get to see volcanoes, waterfalls in the rainforest, and even spot whales in the ocean!
The entire tour lasts around an hour, but it’ll surely leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.
13. Have A Picnic At Wailoa River State Recreational Park
Located in downtown Hilo, The Wailoa River State Recreational Park is a beautiful 130 acre park.
This park has wavy bridges, large fishponds, historical statues and memorials, grassy picnic areas, and restrooms. This is the perfect park to stroll around or have a family picnic.
799 Piilani St, Hilo, HI 96720. Open Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 8am-4:30pm, Sat-Sun 8am-9pm, Wed 12-4:30pm.
14. Stop By The Imiloa Astronomy Center
The Imiloa Astronomy Center is the only planetarium of the Big Island, and is a great place to visit on a rainy day.
The center has a small 3D planetarium, interactive exhibits, a cafe, and educational shows throughout the day. It’s located on the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo campus, and there’s easy free parking. If you love
600 Imiloa Pl, Hilo, HI 96720. Open daily 9am–4:30pm, closed Mondays. Entrance fee costs $17.50 for adults, children under 4 free.
15. Visit The Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory
Located on the outskirts of Hilo, the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Visitor Center is a working macadamia nut farm and factory.
You can go on a self-guided tour of the factory to see how macadamia nuts are processed, and enjoy free samples at the gift shop.
Their gift shop sells a variety of macadamia nut products, ice cream, and souvenirs. If you’re visiting Hawaii’s Volcano National Park from Hilo, this is worth stopping by.
16-701 Macadamia Road, Keaau, HI 96749. Open daily 9am-4pm, closed Sundays. No entrance fee.
16. Try Hawaiian Shave Ice At Kula Shaved Ice
After shopping at the farmer’s market, stop by Kula Shave Ice to try out Hawaiian shave ice.
They’re located right by the Hilo Farmers Market, and have outdoor seating so you can relax and enjoy your dessert. They also sell acai bowls, ice cream, coffee, mochi, and more.
57 Mamo St, Hilo, HI 96720. Open daily 9am-5pm.
17. Visit The Pacific Tsunami Museum
Located in downtown Hilo, the Pacific Tsunami Museum is an informative museum that covers history on past tsunami events.
The museum has many interesting displays on significant tsunamis that struck the Big Island, and the impact it has on local communities.
If you’re interested in how Hilo’s been impacted by natural disasters, it’s well worth a visit.
130 Kamehameha Ave, Hilo, HI 96720. Open daily 10am-4pm. Entrance fee costs $15 for adults, $5 for children (6-17), free for children under 6.
18. Shop At Big Island Candies
Before leaving the island, stop by Big Island Candies to purchase candies and gifts to bring home!
They sell Kona coffee, macadamia nut products, chocolate, candy, cookies, and a variety of gift boxes.
585 Hinano St, Hilo, HI 96720. Open 8:30am-5pm.
Summary
From the beautiful Rainbow Falls to the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo, Hilo is a must visit for anyone traveling to the Big Island.
If you’re wondering where to stay, there are many budget–friendly accommodations in downtown Hilo.
Staying in Hilo is much cheaper than Kona, whereas Kona has more upscale resort options.
For the best deals on accommodations, I book my rentals through Vrbo.com (a cheaper alternative to Airbnb).
If you want to save money, I recommend staying in Hilo and renting a car to make the drive to Kona.